Our
View: Possible Iraq civil war needs attention,
United States should ensure well-being
Since its beginning the Iraq war has been mired in controversy. The reasons why
several thousand American troops were sent to fight in Iraq have escaped many
Americans, but our relentless leader, President George W. Bush, has made the
reasons for our ongoing occupation extremely clear. It is the role of the American
government to protect innocent Iraqis from the tyranny of extremists and establish
order to the otherwise chaotic country.
But recently this goal has been questioned by some in the Bush administration.
As the tension within Iraq escalates between the three major parties, the Sunnis,
Shiites and Kurds, the United States is becoming more reluctant to provide assistance
to
Iraq, despite the immediate danger and disruption it would cause the innocent
civilians we vowed to protect.
The question then becomes if we are not protecting Iraqis from dangerous, extremist
factions, why are thousands of American troops still in Iraq? When senators pleaded
with the president to create a withdrawal plan giving Americans a timetable for
when they could expect their family members home, Bush was evasive and responded
by saying the budding nation needed our support.
Now, when Iraq is on the brink of a potential civil war and possible irreconcilable
disaster, the administration decides it may not be appropriate for the United
States to interfere with the politics of the Middle Eastern country. Bush’s
response to the people in dire need was the Iraqi people face a “moment
of choosing.”
Gone are the impassioned speeches preaching the importance of stewarding the
weak country into a strong, democratic nation. Now only hesitant mumbles are
suggesting possibilities to the dilemma of involving America in another country’s
civil war.
Maybe the slow rise in the death toll has left many Americans fed up with the
situation in Iraq and has made politicians weary about making a decision that
would inevitably result in a spike in the death count. Maybe waning support for
the ongoing struggle in Iraq has left our leaders reluctant to make any quick
moves that might make their already low popularity scores even lower.
Regardless of the possible reasons why our nation’s leaders are turning
their backs on the project they emphatically started three years ago, we must
ensure our presence in Iraq does not create the initial spark that destroys the
already tenuous situation there.
By invading Iraq and overthrowing the existing regime, America sent the country
into chaos. Iraq is totally unprepared to deal with the repercussions of a massive
revolt and needs the support of the United States to ensure that what might be
a minor squabble does not result in years of turmoil and suffering.
Too often hesitation from the United States to act upon foreign civil wars has
resulted in catastrophic crimes against humanity and mass genocide like in Darfur.
This is an opportunity for America to intervene before anything serious happens.
If our leaders in government commit themselves to overthrowing an oppressive
government, then they must follow through with their promises of ensuring the
well-being of the citizens whose lives have been disrupted. They should not pull
out when the popularity polls plummet.
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